Find Your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham Review

Find Your Strongest Life What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently

by Marcus Buckingham

Book Details:

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (September 29, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400202361
• ISBN-13: 978-1400202362
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches

This is a superb book particularly for women who feel they are in a rut, need a change or just need more.  This book is a coaching exercise to identifying what is needed in your life to make changes to reach a goal of happiness.   Marcus is excellent in providing the tools to unlock the keys that will bring fulfillment, peace and control.

What makes the book more valuable is the usage of real women and their plights.  This extra care to details allows a variety of women to relate to them and it shows the path forward or it shows how they could have found the path forward.  This book's timing was perfect for my situation as I look to find what is missing and what will increase my quality of life.

I also found the statistics interesting such as the increasing number of unhappiness among women in general since the 1970's.  Marcus has an ability to understand and provide examples on how to beat the odds.  He also breaks down different domains in your life and provides useful tips in improving those areas whether it's your children, your career, your relationships and so forth.  It's a very well rounded book that I would highly recommend to any women regardless of emotional and physical happiness. 
This website has great resources from an overview of the book, the Strong Life Test, an overview video, an excerpt from the book, conferences and a discussion series.

Marcus has spent his career helping individuals discover and capitalize on their personal strengths.  He calls on his wife's experiences and other women to write this excellent resource on identifying what it is that so many women suffer from.  Marcus was able to take his work experiences as a senior researcher at Gallup Organization which laid the foundations to his book.

To purchase, you can go to Amazon:

Find Your Strongest Life: What the Happiest and Most Successful Women Do Differently

Need more proof, look at the 22 reviewers from Amazon that gave it four out of five stars.

Take the Strong Life Test here.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas with AniMotion™ Book Review & Great Gift Idea

'Twas The Night Before Christmas with AniMotion™

Product Details:

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Hardcover: 26 pages
• Publisher: Accord Publishing, a division of Andrews McMeel (September 15, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0740784323
• ISBN-13: 978-0740784323  

I received this great opportunity by Mom Entrepreneurs and Christa to review this great new technology incorporated into an age old classic 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.  This is an Accord Publishing exclusive with AniMotion™.  Each full-color AniMotion™ window that appears within the festively decorated pages, provides the children with a thrilling, come to life experience.

My two girls literally fought over the book and both wanted it.  The bigger one won so now I have to buy one for the little one.  I have to admit that this is a great family book to start or continue a Christmas tradition with.  The illustrations are rich and colorful yet have an old fashion appearance.  No review can do the animation justice as it's really innovative.  At first you think it's a hologram type image but you quickly learn that as you move the page, the animation comes to life. 

The picture above on the left is a screen shot of what is posted on the Andrews McMeel Publishing site.  The picture on the right is my photo which shows a very rich, beautiful picture of the cover.  I love the deep colors and how it has the appearance of a pricey book.

This photo of the book shows an area on Santa's belly that shakes.  When you move the left side of the page, his belly moves up and down.  The girls laughed when they saw that one. 

To purchase this wonderful, festival book, visit here.

I highly recommend this book to children of all ages and those that love Christmas!  This would make a wonderful Christmas present that can be handed down through the generations.

Pur Flavor Options Water Filtration System Pitcher Review & Giveaway - CLOSED WINNER

CLOSED - CONGRATULATIONS TO

GRADSCHOOLMOMMY!

AN E-MAIL HAS BEEN SENT.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED!

Bye, bye Aquafina!

I received my Pur Flavor Options Water Filtration System pitcher for review from an opportunity on the Product Review Place and Lindsay (thank you!)!  I always call my husband a computer geek but I'm starting to accept that I'm a reviewer geek.  I waited impatiently for my Pur Flavor Options Water Filtration System after reading all the other great reviews on this innovative product that not only delivers purified water but you can purchase flavor cartridges to jazz up the tastes. 

After I received my Pur Flavor Options Water Filtration System, there are specific instructions on a first time use whereas you need to soak the filter for 15 minutes and then rinse.  After you complete the step and have a cleaned pitcher (no dishwashers), you can start to assemble your choice of flavors or leave it plain.  The beauty with this system is you have a choice!  You can choose any flavor they offer or enjoy the great taste of purified water.  If you want to change the flavor, you don't have to wait until the cartridge is empty.

The water definitely tasted better filtered than straight out the tap.  Something about the Savannah River water isn't appealing to me relative to the taste and odor.  I have bought Aquafina for years but now I can happily say I will switch.  I'm a very picky water drinker and up until now, I would only drink Aquafina so switching to Pur Flavor Options Water Filtration System is a huge step for me.  I'm also in the middle of a weight loss program so the more water I consume, the better.  The flavors will provide a variance and encourage me to stay motivated as plain water after awhile becomes dull.

It's reasonably priced too:



The cartridges pay for themselves in the bottled water you don't have to purchase:



These filters provide up to 40 gallons (1 to 2 months) of crystal clean water. Reduces lead and removes microbiological cysts while leaving beneficial fluoride in the water. Can also help remove 96% of trace pharmaceuticals found in some tap water supplies.
The flavor cartridges come in the following flavors:

• Lemon
• Grape - I tried this one and was surprised that I liked it.  I think I'll prefer the lemon flavor which I'm going to buy today.
• Rasberry
• Strawberry
• Peach

The cartridges are great for my weight loss program as they have 0 calories, 0 carbs, 0 sodium, 0 fat and 0 sugars!

To get special coupons and offers from Pur, click here:
https://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/pur/brandsampler-login.jsp

To read some alarming news about our water supply, click here with a story that has excerpts of an interview with the EPA.

I almost forgot to note that my six year old LOVED it!  She likes water but was fascinated with this new gadget and had to have it as soon as I assembled it.  She preferred the plain water as she's not a grape or rasberry fan.  I think she will enjoy the lemon flavor.  As a mom, getting rid of the sodas is a high priority and this gives her an option in between other products of water I purchase to replenish her electrolytes.

I highly recommend the Pur Flavor Options Water Filtration System to anyone.  Not only will you have peace of mind that some of the contaminants, pollutants and pharmaceutical residues are getting removed, it's cheaper and it's fun for the little ones!

The Giveaway:

Your own Pur Flavor Options Water Filtration System! 

To Enter:

1. Leave a comment on which flavor you think you would enjoy and you must follow my blog.

Extra Entries (leave an additional comment for each step completed):

1. Go the PUR site and sign up for their newsletter.
2. Go the PUR site and leave a comment here on something you learned.
3. Follow me on Twitter.
4. Tweet about this giveaway.
5. Blog about this giveaway.
6. Subscribe to my blog.
7. Read another post, comment and come back to this post and leave a comment.

Giveaway ends October 31, 2009 (Happy Halloween!) at midnight (EST)

Winner chosen by random.org

Jillian Michael's New Wii Fitness Ultimatum 2010

I just saw the pre-order advertisements at last for Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 for October 6th and I'm excited!  I'm hoping this one is better than her last game and I hope to hear more of the Jillian we all have grown to love (and some hate).  I can hear her already yelling to "GET OFF YOUR A_____!!!"

Love her or hate her, she makes The Biggest Loser great.  She's the Simon Cowell of weight loss and makes no bones about it.  If you are watching the latest season of The Biggest Loser, have you noticed how Bob is taking it up a notch?  He's not so Paula Abdul anymore.  I love it as they are both acting out the good cop/bad cop with the contestants.  I digressed a bit so back to the game.

You can pre-order this through Amazon and if the price drops from the point of purchase until release, they will adjust your price. Buy.com is advertising a lower price by a few dollars so I suspect Amazon will follow.

Here are some screenshots of the game and they look better from the last game:

The graphics look much better and you actually get to see Jillian performing the exercises.  This game looks way better than her first one:

Product Features:

• "Resolutions" Mode features a customizable training calendar that allows users to plan their routines for up to six months as Jillian coaches you every step of the way.  I love the trackers as it's a great tool to see how you are progressing.
• Cardio Training: Swing Kicks, Obliques, Jumping Jacks, Hip Twists, Water Pump, Running, Bicycle. This already looks better than the other game's exercises.
• Strength Training: Push-Ups, Crunches, Pelvic Thrust, Side Planks, Side Lunges, Sledge Swing, Back Kick w/ Shoulder Press, Boat Pose, Lunge Kick.
• Most exercises enhanced for Balance Board.
• More accurate motion tracking for more precise exercise movements

Building on the success of her first videogame, star fitness trainer Jillian Michaels returns to Wii with a new and improved fast-paced, high-intensity workout in Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2010. Set on a rugged, Pacific jungle island, players will enter a Hell Week-style boot camp filled with many new features and workout modes for 2010, including more accurate motion tracking and a calendar system enabling the user to program routines on a period of up to 6 months. Finally, you'll never train alone with direct feedback and motivation from Jillian for greater results! Game design by health and wellness expert Jillian Michaels: > Features Jillian's motion-captured movements > Fitness routines created by Jillian > All-new audio from Jillian

I'm game ... :)

Tombstone Helps Pay Your Bills

Kraft via Tombstone Pizza is offering a mail in rebate deal where if you purchase 7, 12 or 17 pizzas, they will send you back either $5, $10 or $15.  Not a bad deal if you eat their pizza as $15 can come in handy around the Christmas time.

Requests must be postmarked by January 14, 2010 and received by February 01, 2010.  You must include your utility company and account number and they suggest attaching a copy of a past bill to ensure proper credit.

It will take around 6 to 8 weeks to receive credit.

For more information, go to http://www.kraftfoods.com/sitecollectionimages/imagerepository/7/tombstoneflyer.pdf

Dannon Yogurt's Class Action Lawsuit

Alright, I'm disappointed now.  I've seen this bombardment of yogurt commercials with all their great healthy immune and digestive claims that I was starting to buy into it.  I even tried my first container of yogurt a couple of week's ago.  As I was reading my e-mail, I just read that a class action lawsuit against Dannon was won.

RemedyLife.com posts this:

Yogurt--Good Food But False Advertising


There's some evidence that "probiotic" bacteria in yogurt help rebalance the intestine's natural flora and can have an effect on immune function. But saying--or at least boldly implying on labels and in ads--that yogurt can help prevent constipation or keep you from getting sick is a big leap. Manufacturers have been getting away with such deceptive advertising--until now.

In settling a class-action suit, Dannon has agreed to change how it markets its Activia and DanActive products. For one, the word "immunity" will be dropped from packages. The company will reimburse customers (up to $35 million in total) who spent extra money, thinking they were getting health benefits that may not really exist. (These products cost more than regular yogurts.)

No question, yogurt is a healthy food--rich in calcium, protein, and potassium. Look for nonfat or low-fat yogurt with no added sugar--or buy plain yogurt and add your own fruit. The "Live & Active Cultures" seal guarantees measurable probiotic activity. Just don't expect a medical miracle.

Click here for more information.

More Great Halloween Favor Ideas from Martha Stewart

I'm hosting a bake sale to raise funds for my daughter's elementary school PTO.  I've been looking for unique ideas to package the items to ensure a lot of funds earned.  In today's mail update from MarthaStewart.com, was a link to some fantastic treat boxes and favors. 

I always am partial to the holiday crackers and love the one's in the middle.  The cat treat boxes look a little more time consuming than what I want so I might stick with the other two options.  See how easy it looks:

Tools and Materials

• Crepe and colored papers
• Scissors
• Stickers or rubber stamps
• Toilet-paper rolls
• Glue stick
• Twine
• Plastic spider or bat rings

Halloween Crackers How-To

These Halloween treat holders are modeled after British Christmas crackers.

1. Cut an 11-inch square of crepe paper and a 4-by-7-inch piece of paper in another color; decorate with stickers or stamps.

2. Roll crepe paper around a candy-filled toilet-paper roll; glue seams closed. Wrap paper rectangle around center; glue.

3. Tie ends with twine; snip for fringe. Slip rings over twine. Pull ends to break open.

For more great ideas and how to's, visit the link embedded here: MarthaStewart.com.
 
 

YourPictureBook Personalized Children's Books Review

As a mommy blogger and reviewer, I was reviewing the many offers and opportunities available to provide reviews for various products. On the Product Review Place, there was a post about personalized photo books. I was skeptical thinking it was one of the normal personalized kid's book offers with little character, quality or uniqueness.

At yourpicturebook.com, they have really incredible looking books with great graphics. The characters look identical to the picture and they are so adorable. The process is storybook illustrations, they digitally convert the child’s photo to appear as a painting. This gives a seamless blending of child and illustration that looks almost like the child and illustrations were painted together. The book choices range from counting books, story books and coloring books.

The Review:

I received a book, courtesy of YourPictureBook.com and was so impressed, I just ordered one for my other daughter to give as Christmas gifts.

As a child, they are always impressed to see their name and especially picture integrated into anything.  When I opened the package, I saw my daughter's name and her picture on the cover.  It was very professional and impressive!

Each page had her picture in it and it was arranged to match the scene.  One is under water so her picture had the appearance of being under water.  The storyline was easy to follow for a young kid and it was just simply, a great book and especially a great gift.

The quality of the cover and pages are one in which you expect to see from any book you purchase to read.  It's a great addition and heirloom to pass down to each child.   I cannot wait to see their faces at Christmas when they open them.

The customer service is friendly and delivery was fast.

The price might be a little higher than some might want to pay but the quality of the finished book is well worth it.  The fact that it's a book that can be passed on for generations also adds to the worth.  I've purchased other, less expensive personalized story books and the quality wasn't comparable.  I'd rather pay a little more to have something that they will cherish and pass on to their kids.

The NFL posters are really ideal for the little football player and all the NFL teams are available. They are glossy and sized at 13" x 16."

They also have personalized photo DVDs ranging from Snow White, The Incredible Adventures of Amazing Kid, The Incredible Adventures of Amazing Dad, Our Love Story, My Christmas Adventure and Turbo Kid.

Another feature that I love about this site is the ability to page through each book choice to see how the layout looks. I really liked this feature as it helps to choose the right book for your special one. They also have choices between softcover and hardcover with the ability to add on coloring books.

They really offer so much more so go to their website and see for yourself!

From the site:

Educational Benefits Children have been enjoying personalized children.' books since the 70's, but only recently have we come to realize the educational benefits of personalized children's books. Studies have shown that personalized books are not only entertaining, but tend to promote literacy and education, as well.

Children, like all of us, learn best when they are focused and interested in what they are being taught. Because personalized children's books are so instantly familiar to children, they become drawn into the story, and less aware of other things that may normally be distracting. In other words, they become focused and interested, which is a great combination when children are going through their learning process.

Support St. Judes at Chili's TODAY

Eat at Chili's today and 100% of proceeds (today only) will go to St. Jude's!

Chili's is a proud to support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®, one of the world's premier centers for the research and treatment of pediatric cancer and other catastrophic childhood diseases. As part of a 10-year commitment, Chili's plans to donate $50 million to help St. Jude fight childhood cancer. Funds and awareness for this important cause are provided by the Create-A-Pepper campaign, which invites guests to create custom pepper designs and make donations. The annual campaign also includes a one-day event where Chili's restaurants offer up 100% of their profits to St. Jude. Learn how you can help Chili's find cures and save children.

Facts about St. Jude's:

• St. Jude treats more than 250 patients each day
• The daily operating cost of St. Jude is nearly $1.4 million which is primarily covered by charitable donations
• Research findings at St. Jude are shared around the world
• No child at St. Jude is ever denied treatment because of a family's inability to pay

Perricone MD Super Acai Berry Powder Sample Twitter Giveaway

I FINALLY WON SOMETHING!

I keep entering other blogger's giveaways and never win but I won some acai berry power from Perricone MD! 

Perricone MD Super Acai Berry Powder Sample Twitter Giveaway

First 50 people* everyday to tweet @Perriconemd for the next month will receive our Super Acai Berry powder FREE.




Contest Rules:


1. Follow Perricone MD on Twitter

2. Tweet and answer the question “why would you like a free sample?” with an @perriconemd in your tweet.

3. The first 50 tweeters each day to let you know you have won (Limit one (1) entry per day/per person/twitter address).

4. Each new day will start at 12:01 am eastern time (et) and end at 11:59 pm et.

5. The giveaway will last for 30 days. The contest will begin on September 1, 2009, at 12:01 am et. The last day of the contest will be September 30, 2009, ending at 11:59 pm et.

The Wii DOES Work!

Ever wondered if the Wii actually does work and promote weight loss?  Not only am I proof it does, but so did Colleen over at miiandmywwfamily blog.  Colleen has lost over 40 lbs!

She also has a great review on Zumba:

Fitness Friday: Zumba book


This week I have been reading the book Zumba, Ditch the workout, Join the party : The weight loss program. This book has a lot to offer. It gives the history of all the dance moves that are incorporated in the Zumba exercises. I enjoyed reading about Beto Perez, the author and creator of Zumba. 
 
Read more here.
 
She's also giving away FIVE copies at her original website The Princess and the Monkey.

Thanks for sharing!

Wii Game Console New Low Price at Amazon, Walmart & Target

I've blogged about the Wii and games before and I absolutely love it!  It's one way, maybe not the optimal way, to get kids up to be active.  I can see my daughter sweat from the games so I know it's better than just sitting and watching Sponge Bob.  The cardio and workout games are great if you want to kick off an exercise program and they are fun.  Okay, not all of them are fun but there are good games out there like Gold's Cardio.

I checked my e-mail this morning and Amazon has it for $199.99!  All the merchants are lowering the prices.  Walmart and Target also have it for $199.99.

It gets better as if you buy one, you get a $25 Amazon gift card.

Product Features:

• Plays two disc formats in a single, self-loading media bay
• Features a processing chip from IBM and a graphics chip from ATI
• Backwards compatible with all Nintendo GameCube games and most peripherals
• Built-in Wi-Fi access for easy connection to Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection gaming service
• Wii Sports game included <-- all kids LOVE this game!  I bought the console for my sister last year for Christmas and it's their favorite game.  My kids love it too as well as the little girl next door who comes over to play.

Gartner Cover Creator & Hello Kitty School Giveaway WINNER

Giveaway Closed!

Congratulations to anndancer!

"Anonymous said...rock an roll theme is good. anndancer@sbcglobal.net"

An e-mail will be sent today. Thanks to everyone who took visited and entered!  Watch for more to come!

I had the opportunity to review Gartner's Cover Creator and I have to say it's really a great way for kids to be able to use their creativity in creating a notebook that reflects who they are. When you buy a Gartner Cover Creator, you get access to their website which has a walk through tutorial in creating the notebook design.

You have to be 13 or older to register but once you register, you can save your creations and go back later to edit. The Actions Palette allows you to choose from many different background, text, clip art or you can upload your own image and all you do is save and print.

This is great for school, home or party favors and they are inexpensive. Check out Gartner for many other great, fun products.

Giveaway:

Win your very own Gartner Cover Creator with a Hello Kitty messenger bag, two Hello Kitty folders and one Hello Kitty notebook of paper.

To enter:

Go to Gartner and let me know what other product you like and leave a comment here and follow my blog.

Extra entries:

Follow me on Twitter

Giveaway ends September 25, 2009 and winner chosen by random.org.

Thanks for entering and good luck!

Free Children's Book Giveaway Written by a Child WINNER

Giveaway Closed

Congratulations to: mom2anutball!

"That's so cute! My daughter would love it! hawkgirl_16{at}hotmail{dot}com"

I will send an e-mail ASAP.  This was a special project for my daughter as  I wanted to create a spark of creavitity in her as she loves to write, draw and can make the most amazing things out of paper.  For those parents and others, this was an easy project and if you want more information, drop me a line! 

Her book is available for purchase via amazon.com.

Thanks to all who responded!

Children's books are more fun when they are geared towards first time readers. This book is written by a six year old and each illustration was her own with a little help by a photo program.

The book is about a gorilla who likes to go to the park and have fun. The book was written using the buzz sight words that are taught at kindergarten.

Even though it's a short book, it also provides a possible interest in other budding artists and authors to use their creativity!

Support a new young author and enter the giveaway for her book.

To enter, only add a comment!

Giveaway ends September 25, 2009.

If you want to purchase and help a budding artist, here is the link.

Free Digital Photo Book ... Really! FREE!

FREE Digital Scrapbook Photo Book

Making your own digital scrapbook photo book via Trendy Prints really is fast, easy and fun!  Once you install the Photo Book software, which takes no time at all, you can begin creating an incredibly looking, premade photo pages with the great look of handmade scrapbooks.

There are 13 themes to choose from with multiple choices within each theme:

1. Everyday 
2. Basics
3. Collections
4. Holidays
5. Baby
6. Kids
7. Birthday
8. Wedding
9. Love
10. Travel
11. Sports
12. School
13. Pets

What makes Trendy Prints unique is the host of products you have available.  It's a one stop shopping for gifts or just every day use and memory collections.

1. Landscape Photo Books
2. Square Photo Books
3. Portrait Photo Books
4. Personal Soft Cover Photo Books
5. Square Mini Books
6. Portrait Lay-Flat Premium Leather
7. Square Lay-Flat Premium Leather
8. Portrait Lay-Flat Printed Cover
9. Square Lay-Flat Printed Cover
10. Monthly Calendars
11. Photo Cards
12. Posters
13. Key Tags
14. Luggage Tags
15. Mousepads
16. Mugs
17. Coasters
18. Puzzles
19. T-shirts
20. Mural Tiles
21. Annual Calendars

The choices for covers are plentiful from hard cover, soft cover, leather, suede, linen and more!

Making each product is so easy! 

1. Once you select your theme and subtheme, you click on the product you want to make and click Add Photos To Begin.
2. You can load photos (fast) from your computer, an online library or by phanfare.Once you load the photo(s), click on Create Product and there are instant Quick Tips to help assist in the proper placement and appearance.
3. Choose the photos you want to use.
4. Click on Instant Layout or Manual Design.

This is just a small sample of the key tag choices:

Another nice feature is you can create and purchase theme products with great ease.  Your photos stay present on the workplace and you only click on the next product to make it.

You can save all your projects to edit or to purchase more at a later date.  This is one of the easiest programs I have worked with and I love the automatic layout as well as the ability to manually make what I want.

I just received my customized, finished book and I love it.  It's scrapbook quality with great backgrounds.  The quality of the pictures are much better than what I was receiving at Kodak via their photo books.    These are going to make great Christmas presents.  The best part about TrendyPrints is they are less expensive then others, the quality is amazing and they offer so much variety.  These aren't just photo books but are high quality photos with great scrapbook quality scenes.

To get your FREE 20 page soft cover book, click on the link at www.TrendyPrints.com, then click on the FREE photo book banner for your FREE book.


TrendyPrints also has invitations (see my other blog entry here) and another site called MagneticMessenger that includes announcements and invitations that stick to the fridge (see my other blog entry here).